o with this money, count? Shall you keep it or send it back?"

"I shall keep it, Aramis, and even though I had no need of it I still
should keep it. What is offered from a generous heart should be accepted
generously. Take twenty-five of them, Aramis, and give me the remaining
twenty-five."

"All right; I am glad to see you are of my opinion. There now, shall we
start?"

"When you like; but have you no groom?"

"No; that idiot Bazin had the folly to make himself verger, as you know,
and therefore cannot leave Notre Dame.

"Very well, take Blaisois, with whom I know not what to do, since I
already have Grimaud."

"Willingly," said Aramis.

At this moment Grimaud appeared at the door. "Ready," said he, with his
usual curtness.

"Let us go, then," said Athos.

The two friends mounted, as did their servants. At the corner of the
Quai they encountered Bazin, who was running breathlessly.

"Oh, sir!" exclaimed he, "thank Heaven I have arrived in time. Monsieur
Porthos has just been to your house and has left this for you, saying
that the letter was important and must be given to you before you left."

"Good," said Aramis, taking a purse which Bazin presented to him. "What
is this?"

"Wait, your reverence, there is a letter."

"You know I have already told you that if you ever call me anything but
chevalier I will break every bone in your body. Give me the letter."

"How can you read?" asked Athos, "it is as dark as a cold oven."

"Wait," said Bazin, striking a flint, and setting afire a twisted
wax-light, with which he started the church candles. Thus illumined,
Aramis read the following epistle:

"My dear D'Herblay,--I learned from D'Artagnan who has embraced me on
the part of the Comte de la Fere and yourself, that you are setting out
on a journey which may perhaps last two or three months; as I know that
you do not like to ask money of your friends I offer you some of my own
accord. Here are two hundred pistoles, which you can dispose of as you
wish and return to me when opportunity occurs. Do not fear that you put
me to inconvenience; if I want money I can send for some to any of my
chateaux; at Bracieux alone, I have twenty thousand francs in gold. So,
if I do not send you more it is because I fear you would not accept a
larger sum.

"I address you, because you know, that although I esteem him from my
heart I am a little awed by the Comte de la Fere; but it is understood
that what I offer you I offe